The small sword & spadroon

Do you know the difference between a small sword and a spadroon? In many countries, they are called synonyms. However, both have a slightly different function and history. 

The small sword, known in French as épée de cour and in Gaelic as claidheamh beag, is a light, one-handed thrusting weapon primarily intended for thrusting and hardly suitable for cutting.

The small sword developed from the longer and heavier rapier which was used at the end of the Renaissance. Its peak popularity was in the eighteenth century, a period when every citizen or soldier who wanted to present himself as a gentleman wore a small sword daily. The blade of a small sword is relatively short, usually between 60 and 85 cm, although some specimens are even more than a meter long. It tapers to a point and often has no cutting edge. Typical is the triangular cross-section of the blade, although early specimens sometimes retained the diamond or spindle-shaped cross-section of the rapier. Sometimes the triangular cross-section was hollow-ground to reduce weight. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, one also often encountered the so-called colichemarde-blades, which are wider at the basic and taper towards the point.

The small sword was presumably developed in France and quickly spread across Europe. It was the direct precursor of the French dueling sword, from which the modern épée later emerged. The way the small sword was used, as described by authors like Sieur de Liancour, Domenico Angelo, Monsieur J. Olivier, and Monsieur L’Abbat, laid the basic for the techniques of the French classical fencing school. Although the small sword was mainly used as a dueling weapon, it also remained a standard sidearm for infantry officers. In some traditions, this use continues to this day, but only on ceremonial occasions. After the nineteenth century, carrying a sword in battle became almost nonexistent. For example, the 1913 American Army manual still contains instructions for defending against an opponent with a small sword, a sign that these weapons were comparable in length and carrying method to the long bayonets of that time.

The small sword was used in both military and civilian contexts. In the military, it mainly served as a sign of rank, while in civilian circles it was primarily known as a dueling weapon. In the eighteenth century, wearing a small sword was such an important status symbol that people said: “No gentleman went dressed without his small sword.” Nevertheless, the small sword remained in use as a dueling weapon well into the twentieth century. For example, Gaston Defferre and René Ribière used a larger and heavier type of small sword during their duel in Neuilly, Paris, in 1967. Also in military manuals, such as the American Militiaman’s Manual from 1861, the use of the small sword by infantry is discussed.

In modern times, the small sword is often still worn with ceremonial uniforms and at state or court ceremonies. A notable example is the German Trauerdegen (“mourning sword”), which is still used by the Reitendiener of the city of Hamburg. The German word small sword can denote various types of thrusting weapons, depending on the historical context. For example, it refers to sport swords of modern fencing, historical rauf- and fechtdegens from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, officer and gala swords, and in earlier times also to daggers. The word itself emerged around 1400 and evolved from a designation for a dagger to the meaning of a narrow thrusting sword.

The épée is a modern variant with a long, narrow, straight, and triangular blade that is flexible and suitable for the entire body as a target. The total length is a maximum of 110 centimeters, the blade 90 centimeters, and the weight no more than 770 grams. Unlike other weapons in fencing, there are no conventions about who has the right to attack, which sometimes makes the épée considered “unconventional”.

Historically, the small sword was also worn by officers and senior officials as part of their uniform. It was a sidearm usually worn on a belt or shoulder strap, often richly decorated and a sign of rank and status. The court sword was part of the attire of the court nobility and diplomats and was later also worn by other educated individuals. The mourning sword, on the other hand, was soberly executed, often entirely dark in colour, with a grip wrapped in black crape and a black leather scabbard to prevent reflections, as is still visible with the Reitendiener in Hamburg.

Until the end of the nineteenth century, the small sword was used for duels among the upper classes. Officers usually used the small sword belonging to their unit, equipped with a brass guard, crossguard, and knuckle guard. Among civilians, duels were also fought with small sword. A special variant was the so-called cane sword, which could be concealed as a walking stick. From the beginning of the nineteenth century, wearing the small sword in Germany was largely restricted to officers, while the heavy cavalry used special variants such as the Pallasch or backsword. Until the twentieth century, the small sword remained part of the officers' equipment, albeit often only for ceremonial or parade purposes. The hinge of the scabbard, the Portepee, was used to attach the weapon to the belt.

The grip of the small sword was often equipped with a so-called shell or coquille guard, sometimes with two lobes decorated like half shells. In later variants, the shells were replaced by a simple, curved disc, which was still referred to as a coquille. In later fencing, this form evolved into the lunette or the modern bowl guard of the foil, but the name coquille remained. Many rapiers retained parts of the older rapier, such as quillons, ricasso, knuckle guard, and pas d'âne, often only as decoration, but in some cases, such as the Italian foil, these remained functional into the twentieth century. In the nineteenth century, simple cross-hilt rapiers also appeared, mainly as ceremonial weapons reminiscent of older types. Examples include the American model 1840 rapiers, which are still used in official ceremonies. As wearing swords in daily life fell out of fashion and the small sword evolved into the duel sword, the older complex handles disappeared, giving way to simpler grips, such as the French and Italian grip.

The Spadroon is similar to the small sword, but in addition to being used for thrusting, it is also suitable for cutting. Therefore, the spadroon can be seen as the military counterpart of the small sword, with the latter worn only by officers. The spadroon is a light sword with a straight blade. The term "spadroon" originated in England at the beginning of the eighteenth century, although this type of sword was used in Europe from the late seventeenth century. Spadroons were mainly worn as sidearms by officers and non-commissioned officers of the army and navy, from the seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Although the weapon was common in Europe and America, the name "spadroon" remains primarily an English term.

The design of the spadroon forms a kind of bridge between the small sword—which is almost exclusively a thrusting weapon—and the heavier broadsword. The blade of the spadroon can be single or double-edged, and the handles vary widely, from simple knuckle guards to fully enclosed double shells. The difference between spadroon and broadsword depends on time and place, but spadroons are usually characterized by their light weight and agile grip, making the sword quick and smooth to handle.

It is important to note, however, that the names for similar swords varied greatly throughout Europe. In Germany and the Netherlands, similar weapons were usually simply called Small sword or Hieber, without the separate name "spadroon".

The first documented mention of “spadroon” can be found in Donald McBane's fencing manual from 1728, The Expert Sword-Man. McBane praised the weapon for its versatility in both attack and defense. The name is likely derived from the French word espadon or the Italian spadone, which refers to larger two-handed swords, although there is no definitive evidence for this.

The spadroon evolved from the swords of the Mortuary and Walloon broadsword types from the mid-seventeenth century. By omitting parts of the grip, such as side bars, lighter and more manageable weapons were created. French infantry swords, known as épée du soldat, with a broadsword blade and a grip like the small sword, appear functionally similar to the spadroon and have influenced British designs.

Between 1680 and 1720, the spadroon design became popular in the British army. These swords had a light, often double-edged blade and simple grips. Fencing masters such as Donald McBane and Sir William Hope praised the spadroon for its versatility, speed, and ease in both thrusting and cutting.